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“This Isn’t Motivation”: A Picture Of A Gas Station Employee Working While Taking Care Of A Newborn Raises Awareness Of Toxic Positivity Online
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Maintaining family life as well as work can be tricky and hard, especially when having kids. It becomes a blessing to have someone besides you who can help with the whole workload. One of the biggest headaches that parents face is how to provide their children with proper care while they are at work. There are a few options such as a good daycare, an experienced nanny, or loving grandparents. However, some parents find it difficult to get help from an institution or simply don’t have money for these services, and some people can’t expect a helping hand from their close ones. It might seem that this only shows how different everyone’s situation is. But in reality, the problem of having to sacrifice time with your kid and find quick and suitable solutions to be able to provide for yourself and your family becomes a serious and sore problem.
We live in a world where people like to express their admiration and support to those who work hard and try their best to achieve great things in life. But it seems that this hype of the “hustle culture” hides some acute problems. Recently, a post with a picture showing a woman working at a gas station while carrying a newborn baby in her arms brought out some pretty strong reactions online.
More Info: Reddit
RELATED:
Admitting that someone is doing great in life is often encouraged as it motivates them to move forward
Image credits: Brad Johnson Williams
The post that had a picture attached stated that the post author saw the woman in one of the gas stations. She worked there as a cashier, but besides her work-related duties, she was also feeding a newborn baby that she held in her arms. The post author appraised the woman for being able to take care of the baby while providing customers with excellent service. The post creator mentioned that this picture might upset some people, but in his own opinion, he sees this situation as a source of inspiration and motivation for other hard-working parents. A screenshot of this post was shared on a subreddit called r/antiwork. Here users started a heated debate on the matter.
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But this wasn’t the case when a post showing a woman working at a gas station with a newborn started circulating online
Image credits: Brad Johnson Williams
One Reddit user decided to re-share this post stating that this situation shouldn’t be celebrated
Image credits: hypochloritesprite
According to the Reddit user @hypochloritesprite, this picture first surfaced in 2019, and the woman that was holding the baby is thought to be the newborn’s grandmother. Despite the missing facts on who this woman is and what is the real situation behind this picture, the post itself made users online start a discussion on several problems.
First, it was noticed that even though this post was written in order to express one’s appreciation and admiration for working moms, a lot of people online found this to be an example of toxic positivity and poverty p**n. Members believed that this and similar situations shouldn’t be promoted as inspiring examples, especially knowing that this is not done to spread awareness of people’s struggles, but rather to generate likes and exposure.
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The first impression when seeing the post left people wondering the truth behind the picture
People online were quick to name a few problems that came to mind when seeing the post
Despite this picture circulating on the internet for quite some time, it is still relevant to this day. A lot of members of Reddit found that the circumstances to which parents have to adapt are unthoughtful and sometimes even cruel. Some people thought that the problem lies in the way capitalism works, thinking that work and money are more important than the employees and their welfare. There were other examples revealed by users who also witnessed kids having to come to their parents’ workplace because there were no other places they could be left at. It was agreed that what such people need is not recognition or a good word, but rather useful benefits such as vacation time, paid maternity, and paternity leave.
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What is your take on this situation? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
Users agreed that such stories shouldn’t be glorified but rather seen as examples of toxic positivity
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For some users, it became clear that very often parents have to struggle because they don’t get proper benefits such as maternity leave
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It appeared that there are more examples of people having to take their kids to work because they couldn’t go to a daycare or have a nanny
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Konstancija is a Content Creator at Bored Panda. She has a bachelor’s degree in Translation and Interpreting and a master’s degree in Future Media and Journalism. She is very interested in sustainable fashion and is a perfect companion to go to second-hand shops and antiques for nearly anything: clothes, books or furniture. Her interests also include photography, literature and hiking.
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What do you think ?
Wilf 2 years ago
I wonder whether Americans actually realise they're living in a dystopian sh*thole third world country? In my country statutory maternity leave is 52 weeks. Statutory maternity pay is for 39 weeks, but most companies offer more than that- and it's not unusual to get the full 52. You cannot be dismissed during that time and you have a legal right to return to the exact same job. And yet somehow, all of our BP gas stations remain open... I wonder how we do it???
GaeFrog 2 years ago
We definitely aren't a 3rd world country but to answer your question about half of us (the educated half) do know our country sucks
Load More Replies...
Sordatos 2 years ago
I dunno mexico has 90 days of maternity leave by law... US has none, nor paid vacation
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
Well to be fair we have both, though not forced by law, and I highly doubt gas station clerks have it offered, this country at the top echelon it's more concerned with invading other countries and reaping profits then domestic issues
Nina 2 years ago
Your are a third world. And all you educationed 'half' choose to do nothing about it but allow the other half to suffer. Disgusting. The rest of the globe's third world's aren't so disgusting as you. Even Mexico , your closest poor country has three months mat leave and sick pay. You are a disgrace to the whole world.
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
I think a lot of the "educated half" is either too busy working 3 jobs so they can pay off student loans within 50 years to do anything.. what are the best ways for a government to control the masses? Keep them in debt, uneducated, divided, seemingly happy, constantly at war and pummeled with propaganda
Luna Rouge 2 years ago
"The educated half" I don't know if you've been to a 3rd world country but first world countries don't have educated/ rich/ well taken care of halves and half that's stuck in poverty and strife. There are rich, educated people in a lot of 3rd world countries... taking advantage of the underprivileged... you see where I'm going with this? If we're not already a 3rd world country, we're heading there fast and in glad to see conversations like this happening, we need change.
Jacob Lemley 2 years ago
As long as we blame the other half and not our own politicians, the play continues. Corporate lobbyists write bills that help those corporations.
Frankenfrog 2 years ago
I'd day you definitely are a third world country, when generally third world countries have more benefits for their citizens than you do
Treessimontrees 2 years ago
I honestly think a lot of Americans still think it's a land of opportunity. It hasn't been that since the 1960s.
Frankenfrog 2 years ago
@justme - you need to f*** right out of here with your misogynistic sexist ideas.
Just me 2 years ago
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
When men worked to provide for the family and women were home for their children and made the home run smoothly. We need to go back to that
Hubert Martin 2 years ago (edited)
This is such a misogynistic and insensitive viewpoint, rooted in antiquated theory on 'how things should be.' Absolutely disgusting. We are almost there, numbskull. Dads, stay at home. Raise the kids right. When is work ever right anyway? Let the women have it.
Andrea Barbieri 2 years ago
Lived in the US for 5 years, no they don't realize that. Even if they get exposed to an example of real first world they just shrug it off as "socialist" and go on with their lives.
Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
This! Because they keep the stupid masses brainwashed that socialist systems are bad and terrible and they pull out incorrect examples to try to further the propaganda and it works the idiots come together and vote out good people that actually could change this country
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
Lol right? Universal heath care? Universal "University" (ironic naming?) Sounds horrible! It's like McCarthyism never ended... I think if America was a country in Europe where it's really easy to go to a neighboring country,, a lot of us would've left by now lol I know I would
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
We know our country is in deep sh*t, thanks, but as fast as some of us shovel us out? Others keep pooping on the efforts.
Gerard Neaux 2 years ago
I dedicate this post to all the Americans who downvote me each time I criticize the land of dreams, freedom etc etc etc
Katie Sullivan 2 years ago
We do, trust me. At least, those of us (yes, generally the educated ones) know that our country is in rapid decline.
Jyndaru 2 years ago
Trust me, we know, or at least most of us do. Many of us (myself included) would love to leave but can't afford to. I'm buried under medical debt and trapped by a low credit score. This is the sad truth of the "American Dream."
Carissa McFarland 2 years ago (edited)
If we could leave and find safety in another country my family and I would take it in a heartbeat. We are barely surviving. It's only a matter of time before we end up homeless because we need both parents working and I fell into disability. It takes on average 2 years to start collecting disability to keep people afloat. This country just watches people rot. No one in power actually cares about their people. It's about money and politics. If you're born without and something happens your forever screwed. It's no wonder suicide rates and drug use are so high here. This country makes people feel hopeless.
Wesley Lucas 2 years ago
You're so right, Carissa. Your situation sounds a lot like mine. Trust that I wish I could relocate to somewhere like Finland or Denmark or France. Even if I could save the money (which I can't) I doubt any of them would want some tired, poor Americans anyways. What we're doing isn't sustainable and I'm surprised the bread and circuses have worked for as long as they have. They're not even giving us those anymore 🙄 It's long past time for a UBI and a move towards more socialized safety nets for ALL Americans. Hang in there, dear! Much empathy from Pittsburgh 💜
MimSorensson 2 years ago (edited)
Well: even though I fully realize that this won’t help you at all right now, I would still like to say that if you ever get have to and can emigrate, you’re very welcome to Sweden. It’s pretty cold here for half the year, we can seem sort of reserved until we know you and we have weird traditional food, but you WILL have full access to health care and there will be almost failsafe safety nets. That’s why I love paying my taxes - because that’s what they’re used for, safety nets and equal access to necessary functions. So: välkommen (welcome)!
UrWhyteFright IsUrProblem 2 years ago
Well it's because they give you blacks and minorities to blame and hate! While you are looking that way they are robbing you blind. Then they make laws to entrap and impoverish the people that they have you focused on while secretly including a clause that included you as well and it voted on time and time again because the people think that they are denying the other. Until that time comes when they realized that it effects them to
Yee Haw 2 years ago
A lot of people don't realize the hurtful origins of equating a 3rd world country with being "stupid" or "inferior". The concept of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world came from the Cold War! The reason many Americans use "3rd world country" as an insult is because we're xenophobic and culturally racist as hell. 1st world literally just means you're aligned with several countries including the US. 2nd meant countries, usually authoritarian communist regimes, which were currently actively communist. 3rd world means someone aligned with neither. So essentially from an American's perspective: 1st world is good because 1st world aligns with the USA or some other "acceptable" country. 2nd world bad because commies. 3rd world bad because POC bad. Also poor people bad. We created the narrative of blaming other countries for being shitholes while being kne ourselves.
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
I'm rolling my eyes here. You are just reurgitating a sentence that is popular on the internet right now. The US might be behind on a number of social security issues for a first world country, like maternity leave, but that doesn't make it a third world country. There are ACTUAL third world countries out there, you know.
Alma Muminovic 2 years ago
I dunno, low minimum wage you cant live off, terrible healthcare if any at all, no maternity leave/childcare options unless your family member has the time to help out, crazy house prices so no one can afford to actually buy one, student debt designed to cripple you financially, we may not be a third world country but it sure feels like it for what America claims to be.
Cassandra 2 years ago
Even though the minimum wage is low at the federal level a lot of states have raised their minimum wage themselves. 20 states are $7.25- $8.25 and the rest are higher than $10. My state is at the federal minimum of $7.25, but where I live there are no jobs under $10. Except for waitresses. When I was in my 20s I worked for $7.50. Now even that job starts at $15. Even gas stations are $10 or more. We do need more/better access to healthcare and other social programs. The money is there, they just need to funnel it into the right direction. I think americans are extremely selfish. That's what it boils down to. They do not want to help others. In the long run it would help everyone out. People already pay taxes for other people's kids to go to school, for sidewalks, and use the roads ect. I have no idea why also paying taxes to help with food and healthcare and other programs is so freaking hard for everyone. Can't afford to retire and don't take care of the elderly.
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
For what people *assumed* America to be, as well, not simply America's own claims. I've heard a lot of that "Your country sucks and you said it wasn't bad!" but the reply is, "Um, no, you said our country should be a certain thing, and we were busy working three jobs without health insurance, so we couldn't really do much propaganda in our nonexistent spare time". We're barely allowed time to *vote* ------ b/c they don't make ELection Day a holiday from work. PEople have to choose. Vote or survive.
Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
You're not paid a living wage, You are treated by the color of your skin, we actually have a high rate of mothers dying during birth, only the super wealthy can actually afford healthcare, we have a bunch of dictators throughout all of our states trying to control people's freedoms, we have people starving in the streets, homeless children and vets ya that sounds like a third world country to me
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Sounds like your in Canada like me. Oh also, when on mat/paternity leave, when raises/bonus' are given, the people on leave legally get it too!
KayKay Kitten89 2 years ago
I don't know how many 52 weeks is.. so I did the math.... THATS A F**KIN YEAR AND A MONTH OFF FOR MATERNITY LEAVE!!! OMFG! I might have a heart attack 😨😵💫
KayKay Kitten89 2 years ago
That's....That's.... a whole year and a month....that is A WHOLE F**KING YEAR AND A MONTH OF MATERNITY LEAVE! OH MY GOD! It hits 10x harder when you say months instead of weeks.. I may have a heart attack..😵💫😨
MimSorensson 2 years ago (edited)
You got way what now? Six goddamned weeks? Ok, admittedly I don’t have kids, but that does not seem reasonable in any way at all to me. We have 68 weeks for one child, 94 for two and so forth up to 145 weeks for four children (they can be used as needed until the kid is 12 years old so it’s a bit different how people use them) - and I might be naive here but six weeks sound almost inhumane to me. I’m sorry, friend, that súcks.
Lou Lopez 2 years ago
We doooooo! We keep trying to elect progressives but Democrats and Republicans alike keep hobbling our efforts. Everytime a progressive loses, both sides get to wring their hands and claim that "progressive policies are cray cray and no one wants anything but self-serving "centrist" policies instead." The Overton Window has been steadily shifting to the Right because of the ratchett effect. Essentially hard-Right policies are enacted by Republicans, Dems come in to power but don't roll back those harmful policies. They don't enact any either, they just "hold" this slide to the Right in place. We are doomed to fascism (unless we pull back) as much as any other democracy sliding to the Right.
Ronald Copenhagen 2 years ago
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I want to start a group that dissuades immigrants from coming to a systemically racist evil country. We can hold signs saying “Go Home! It’s bad here!” But The millions keep coming and are so desperate they can’t follow the laws. It’s so weird.
Jason Alexander 2 years ago (edited)
That's because they live in actual 3rd world countries. And while the US isn't 3rd world level, they are closer to a country of poverty than all the other 1st world countries (poverty in terms of how the majority live and not the amount of money that the country has a whole). If you are living in a cage, a shack will look like a mansion. We are the shack, buddy.
Karis Ravenhill 2 years ago
Free education. Free healthcare. Free child daycare. Free legal representation. Freely functioning unions. Maternity/paternity leave. Paid vacation. Paid sick leave. You want a properly functioning society where every person has the opportunity to strive for better? That's how you do it. America, sadly, is not a properly functioning society, it's an absolutely broken one.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
"Free" is the key word right? They pay all the taxes but instead of taking care of its people, it goes to BS programs like Nasa and hidden programs. The taxes should be for taking care of the people like Canada or many other places.
Load More Replies... Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
Actually if you look at an expense report from the military you're going to see a lot of stuff on there that makes no sense useless experiments frivolous spending on the most absurd things because the whole point is to make sure that they use every cent even if they don't need it so they can continue to get the same amount every year even if they don't need it and that's the problem because if they don't need it they shouldn't take it It should be put into other programs to help people to help better this country they claim they're buying weapons from who exactly the point is is its bullshit they got to make sure they use every cent to get the same amount back for again no other reason but to have a bloated military spending budget
Naomi Devlin 2 years ago
Republicans block any move that would socially benefit our country. Child care is in Biden's bill that Republicans refuse to pass. As long as we have Republicans we will have a country that serves the top 5% only.
Terry Dunn 2 years ago
I'm sure all of those free things come at some sort of cost to it's people. Either you're paying high taxes, or you have very few choices as to what school you can go to, or what classes you can take, or what hospital you can go to and how big of a hospital bill you can have, etc..nothing in this world is free. There's always a cost. And there are always people fleeing those countries that supposedly give all kinds of benefits for free, that are coming to the united states! Why? Because no matter how shitty our country might be, it's still better than everyone else's.
Vladimíra Matejová 2 years ago (edited)
1/2 Terry Dunn i would not be so certain. We have free education and you can go to any university you want, you can take whichever classes you want (you need to take the mandatory ones plus you can take additional ones even on other universities if you want and they allow it - there is some paperwork around it but usually there is no problem I attended 2 classes outside of my curriculum on other faculties plus some unrelated in my own just for fun), you can go to any hospital you want, you get no hospital bill, you only pay for parking, and some extras like you want a single room in higher standard or so. now taxes. ok what do you consider high taxes? I pay 20% tax from my salary, mandatory insurance around 60euro/month plus some mandatory social insurance which is around 10% of my salary and that is all. for it I get 55% of my salary when I am on sick leave, retirement from state (not very high though, but I think still something around 50%-65% of average salary currently ),
Vladimíra Matejová 2 years ago (edited)
2/2 if I decide to have children i get 6 months of maternity leave for which I dont remember % but when I calculated it it was basically my salary in full plus other 2 and a half years (!) guaranteed money currently around 300EUR/month. if i am disabled i get a pension for disabled, if I am widowed a pension for widows, etc. If I am unemployed i get money from the state for 6 months (dont know the % but you get the point). if kids are sick I can stay at home and get some % of salary too. And I have 20 days paid vacation, 14 doctor visits for me +family per year. my country is not perfect, the hospitals could use some money, doctors and nurses higher salaries, teachers as well but these are issues every country has. I would never want to live in the US just for the fear of becoming homeless due to university bill combined with morgage or hospital bill i wonder how you can survive there. I would like to visit as a tourist though, definitely seems a nice country to see and would like to meet the ppl. so dont be so fast assuming your coutry is the best in the world. I am not saying it is the worst, but be critical, see the + and-
Jo Choto 2 years ago
I can only imagine how lucky that woman feels to be ABLE to take her baby to work. Maternity leave in the USA is just a couple of weeks and daycare is not subsidised or supported by the government. So she has the chance to take care of her child AND earn money. Most women in her position would end up struggling, because daycare costs more than they would earn in that job, so they would struggle to work at all. It's not right, but in the USA, she's one of the lucky ones.
Rasha Nasher 2 years ago
Correction : maternity leave in the USA is ZERO days
Load More Replies... Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
Part time jobs you will not get maternity leave you will have to have a full-time job to get it and if you do you get two weeks paid they allow you to use up any vacation and sick time to continue and then you have to use something called family medical leave to continue to care for your newborn but it's all unpaid all the family medical leave does is protect them from firing you and they will just find another reason when you come back to do exactly that
Tell Me A Yarn 2 years ago
To get FMLA you have to be in a job for a certain amount of time and your employer has to employ 50 or more people. So any franchise gas station doesn't qualify, unfortunately.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Yeah don't you have to use holidays or bank time in most places? Awful
Ronald Copenhagen 2 years ago
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The real minimum wage is also zero. Why should I be held responsible for someone else’s choice not to have an abortion. Abortion is still legal for now. Her body. Her choice. I respect her choices but that’s me…
Briana Landers 2 years ago
Yep. While also making birth control hard to obtain and putting caps on getting other forms of protection
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Yeah men can get viagra everywhere but women cant get paid for birth control or help when having a baby. I'm in Canada and my midwife was paid for by our Healthcare. All the scans, tests, blood work, delivery etc. Midwife comes to your home everyday till you feel well. Glad I'm Canadian and have my kids here!
Carissa McFarland 2 years ago
😢 some of us wish we could escape to Canada. It really is like living in a nightmare here and it's just getting worse.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
That is the most idiotic comment I've read today. I bet you don't even work ffs.
Summer Mason 2 years ago
Not to mention there are a ton of areas where there are no daycares in the usa. I would gladly take a higher pay and pay more into taxes if our government would stop f*****g us over.
Wilf 2 years ago
I wonder whether Americans actually realise they're living in a dystopian sh*thole third world country? In my country statutory maternity leave is 52 weeks. Statutory maternity pay is for 39 weeks, but most companies offer more than that- and it's not unusual to get the full 52. You cannot be dismissed during that time and you have a legal right to return to the exact same job. And yet somehow, all of our BP gas stations remain open... I wonder how we do it???
GaeFrog 2 years ago
We definitely aren't a 3rd world country but to answer your question about half of us (the educated half) do know our country sucks
Load More Replies... Sordatos 2 years ago
I dunno mexico has 90 days of maternity leave by law... US has none, nor paid vacation
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
Well to be fair we have both, though not forced by law, and I highly doubt gas station clerks have it offered, this country at the top echelon it's more concerned with invading other countries and reaping profits then domestic issues
Nina 2 years ago
Your are a third world. And all you educationed 'half' choose to do nothing about it but allow the other half to suffer. Disgusting. The rest of the globe's third world's aren't so disgusting as you. Even Mexico , your closest poor country has three months mat leave and sick pay. You are a disgrace to the whole world.
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
I think a lot of the "educated half" is either too busy working 3 jobs so they can pay off student loans within 50 years to do anything.. what are the best ways for a government to control the masses? Keep them in debt, uneducated, divided, seemingly happy, constantly at war and pummeled with propaganda
Luna Rouge 2 years ago
"The educated half" I don't know if you've been to a 3rd world country but first world countries don't have educated/ rich/ well taken care of halves and half that's stuck in poverty and strife. There are rich, educated people in a lot of 3rd world countries... taking advantage of the underprivileged... you see where I'm going with this? If we're not already a 3rd world country, we're heading there fast and in glad to see conversations like this happening, we need change.
Jacob Lemley 2 years ago
As long as we blame the other half and not our own politicians, the play continues. Corporate lobbyists write bills that help those corporations.
Frankenfrog 2 years ago
I'd day you definitely are a third world country, when generally third world countries have more benefits for their citizens than you do
Treessimontrees 2 years ago
I honestly think a lot of Americans still think it's a land of opportunity. It hasn't been that since the 1960s.
Frankenfrog 2 years ago
@justme - you need to f*** right out of here with your misogynistic sexist ideas.
Just me 2 years ago
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
When men worked to provide for the family and women were home for their children and made the home run smoothly. We need to go back to that
Hubert Martin 2 years ago (edited)
This is such a misogynistic and insensitive viewpoint, rooted in antiquated theory on 'how things should be.' Absolutely disgusting. We are almost there, numbskull. Dads, stay at home. Raise the kids right. When is work ever right anyway? Let the women have it.
Andrea Barbieri 2 years ago
Lived in the US for 5 years, no they don't realize that. Even if they get exposed to an example of real first world they just shrug it off as "socialist" and go on with their lives.
Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
This! Because they keep the stupid masses brainwashed that socialist systems are bad and terrible and they pull out incorrect examples to try to further the propaganda and it works the idiots come together and vote out good people that actually could change this country
Leland Fisher 2 years ago
Lol right? Universal heath care? Universal "University" (ironic naming?) Sounds horrible! It's like McCarthyism never ended... I think if America was a country in Europe where it's really easy to go to a neighboring country,, a lot of us would've left by now lol I know I would
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
We know our country is in deep sh*t, thanks, but as fast as some of us shovel us out? Others keep pooping on the efforts.
Gerard Neaux 2 years ago
I dedicate this post to all the Americans who downvote me each time I criticize the land of dreams, freedom etc etc etc
Katie Sullivan 2 years ago
We do, trust me. At least, those of us (yes, generally the educated ones) know that our country is in rapid decline.
Jyndaru 2 years ago
Trust me, we know, or at least most of us do. Many of us (myself included) would love to leave but can't afford to. I'm buried under medical debt and trapped by a low credit score. This is the sad truth of the "American Dream."
Carissa McFarland 2 years ago (edited)
If we could leave and find safety in another country my family and I would take it in a heartbeat. We are barely surviving. It's only a matter of time before we end up homeless because we need both parents working and I fell into disability. It takes on average 2 years to start collecting disability to keep people afloat. This country just watches people rot. No one in power actually cares about their people. It's about money and politics. If you're born without and something happens your forever screwed. It's no wonder suicide rates and drug use are so high here. This country makes people feel hopeless.
Wesley Lucas 2 years ago
You're so right, Carissa. Your situation sounds a lot like mine. Trust that I wish I could relocate to somewhere like Finland or Denmark or France. Even if I could save the money (which I can't) I doubt any of them would want some tired, poor Americans anyways. What we're doing isn't sustainable and I'm surprised the bread and circuses have worked for as long as they have. They're not even giving us those anymore 🙄 It's long past time for a UBI and a move towards more socialized safety nets for ALL Americans. Hang in there, dear! Much empathy from Pittsburgh 💜
MimSorensson 2 years ago (edited)
Well: even though I fully realize that this won’t help you at all right now, I would still like to say that if you ever get have to and can emigrate, you’re very welcome to Sweden. It’s pretty cold here for half the year, we can seem sort of reserved until we know you and we have weird traditional food, but you WILL have full access to health care and there will be almost failsafe safety nets. That’s why I love paying my taxes - because that’s what they’re used for, safety nets and equal access to necessary functions. So: välkommen (welcome)!
UrWhyteFright IsUrProblem 2 years ago
Well it's because they give you blacks and minorities to blame and hate! While you are looking that way they are robbing you blind. Then they make laws to entrap and impoverish the people that they have you focused on while secretly including a clause that included you as well and it voted on time and time again because the people think that they are denying the other. Until that time comes when they realized that it effects them to
Yee Haw 2 years ago
A lot of people don't realize the hurtful origins of equating a 3rd world country with being "stupid" or "inferior". The concept of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd world came from the Cold War! The reason many Americans use "3rd world country" as an insult is because we're xenophobic and culturally racist as hell. 1st world literally just means you're aligned with several countries including the US. 2nd meant countries, usually authoritarian communist regimes, which were currently actively communist. 3rd world means someone aligned with neither. So essentially from an American's perspective: 1st world is good because 1st world aligns with the USA or some other "acceptable" country. 2nd world bad because commies. 3rd world bad because POC bad. Also poor people bad. We created the narrative of blaming other countries for being shitholes while being kne ourselves.
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
I'm rolling my eyes here. You are just reurgitating a sentence that is popular on the internet right now. The US might be behind on a number of social security issues for a first world country, like maternity leave, but that doesn't make it a third world country. There are ACTUAL third world countries out there, you know.
Alma Muminovic 2 years ago
I dunno, low minimum wage you cant live off, terrible healthcare if any at all, no maternity leave/childcare options unless your family member has the time to help out, crazy house prices so no one can afford to actually buy one, student debt designed to cripple you financially, we may not be a third world country but it sure feels like it for what America claims to be.
Cassandra 2 years ago
Even though the minimum wage is low at the federal level a lot of states have raised their minimum wage themselves. 20 states are $7.25- $8.25 and the rest are higher than $10. My state is at the federal minimum of $7.25, but where I live there are no jobs under $10. Except for waitresses. When I was in my 20s I worked for $7.50. Now even that job starts at $15. Even gas stations are $10 or more. We do need more/better access to healthcare and other social programs. The money is there, they just need to funnel it into the right direction. I think americans are extremely selfish. That's what it boils down to. They do not want to help others. In the long run it would help everyone out. People already pay taxes for other people's kids to go to school, for sidewalks, and use the roads ect. I have no idea why also paying taxes to help with food and healthcare and other programs is so freaking hard for everyone. Can't afford to retire and don't take care of the elderly.
Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
For what people *assumed* America to be, as well, not simply America's own claims. I've heard a lot of that "Your country sucks and you said it wasn't bad!" but the reply is, "Um, no, you said our country should be a certain thing, and we were busy working three jobs without health insurance, so we couldn't really do much propaganda in our nonexistent spare time". We're barely allowed time to *vote* ------ b/c they don't make ELection Day a holiday from work. PEople have to choose. Vote or survive.
Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
You're not paid a living wage, You are treated by the color of your skin, we actually have a high rate of mothers dying during birth, only the super wealthy can actually afford healthcare, we have a bunch of dictators throughout all of our states trying to control people's freedoms, we have people starving in the streets, homeless children and vets ya that sounds like a third world country to me
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Sounds like your in Canada like me. Oh also, when on mat/paternity leave, when raises/bonus' are given, the people on leave legally get it too!
KayKay Kitten89 2 years ago
I don't know how many 52 weeks is.. so I did the math.... THATS A F**KIN YEAR AND A MONTH OFF FOR MATERNITY LEAVE!!! OMFG! I might have a heart attack 😨😵💫
KayKay Kitten89 2 years ago
That's....That's.... a whole year and a month....that is A WHOLE F**KING YEAR AND A MONTH OF MATERNITY LEAVE! OH MY GOD! It hits 10x harder when you say months instead of weeks.. I may have a heart attack..😵💫😨
MimSorensson 2 years ago (edited)
You got way what now? Six goddamned weeks? Ok, admittedly I don’t have kids, but that does not seem reasonable in any way at all to me. We have 68 weeks for one child, 94 for two and so forth up to 145 weeks for four children (they can be used as needed until the kid is 12 years old so it’s a bit different how people use them) - and I might be naive here but six weeks sound almost inhumane to me. I’m sorry, friend, that súcks.
Lou Lopez 2 years ago
We doooooo! We keep trying to elect progressives but Democrats and Republicans alike keep hobbling our efforts. Everytime a progressive loses, both sides get to wring their hands and claim that "progressive policies are cray cray and no one wants anything but self-serving "centrist" policies instead." The Overton Window has been steadily shifting to the Right because of the ratchett effect. Essentially hard-Right policies are enacted by Republicans, Dems come in to power but don't roll back those harmful policies. They don't enact any either, they just "hold" this slide to the Right in place. We are doomed to fascism (unless we pull back) as much as any other democracy sliding to the Right.
Ronald Copenhagen 2 years ago
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I want to start a group that dissuades immigrants from coming to a systemically racist evil country. We can hold signs saying “Go Home! It’s bad here!” But The millions keep coming and are so desperate they can’t follow the laws. It’s so weird.
Jason Alexander 2 years ago (edited)
That's because they live in actual 3rd world countries. And while the US isn't 3rd world level, they are closer to a country of poverty than all the other 1st world countries (poverty in terms of how the majority live and not the amount of money that the country has a whole). If you are living in a cage, a shack will look like a mansion. We are the shack, buddy.
Karis Ravenhill 2 years ago
Free education. Free healthcare. Free child daycare. Free legal representation. Freely functioning unions. Maternity/paternity leave. Paid vacation. Paid sick leave. You want a properly functioning society where every person has the opportunity to strive for better? That's how you do it. America, sadly, is not a properly functioning society, it's an absolutely broken one.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
"Free" is the key word right? They pay all the taxes but instead of taking care of its people, it goes to BS programs like Nasa and hidden programs. The taxes should be for taking care of the people like Canada or many other places.
Load More Replies... Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
Actually if you look at an expense report from the military you're going to see a lot of stuff on there that makes no sense useless experiments frivolous spending on the most absurd things because the whole point is to make sure that they use every cent even if they don't need it so they can continue to get the same amount every year even if they don't need it and that's the problem because if they don't need it they shouldn't take it It should be put into other programs to help people to help better this country they claim they're buying weapons from who exactly the point is is its bullshit they got to make sure they use every cent to get the same amount back for again no other reason but to have a bloated military spending budget
Naomi Devlin 2 years ago
Republicans block any move that would socially benefit our country. Child care is in Biden's bill that Republicans refuse to pass. As long as we have Republicans we will have a country that serves the top 5% only.
Terry Dunn 2 years ago
I'm sure all of those free things come at some sort of cost to it's people. Either you're paying high taxes, or you have very few choices as to what school you can go to, or what classes you can take, or what hospital you can go to and how big of a hospital bill you can have, etc..nothing in this world is free. There's always a cost. And there are always people fleeing those countries that supposedly give all kinds of benefits for free, that are coming to the united states! Why? Because no matter how shitty our country might be, it's still better than everyone else's.
Vladimíra Matejová 2 years ago (edited)
1/2 Terry Dunn i would not be so certain. We have free education and you can go to any university you want, you can take whichever classes you want (you need to take the mandatory ones plus you can take additional ones even on other universities if you want and they allow it - there is some paperwork around it but usually there is no problem I attended 2 classes outside of my curriculum on other faculties plus some unrelated in my own just for fun), you can go to any hospital you want, you get no hospital bill, you only pay for parking, and some extras like you want a single room in higher standard or so. now taxes. ok what do you consider high taxes? I pay 20% tax from my salary, mandatory insurance around 60euro/month plus some mandatory social insurance which is around 10% of my salary and that is all. for it I get 55% of my salary when I am on sick leave, retirement from state (not very high though, but I think still something around 50%-65% of average salary currently ),
Vladimíra Matejová 2 years ago (edited)
2/2 if I decide to have children i get 6 months of maternity leave for which I dont remember % but when I calculated it it was basically my salary in full plus other 2 and a half years (!) guaranteed money currently around 300EUR/month. if i am disabled i get a pension for disabled, if I am widowed a pension for widows, etc. If I am unemployed i get money from the state for 6 months (dont know the % but you get the point). if kids are sick I can stay at home and get some % of salary too. And I have 20 days paid vacation, 14 doctor visits for me +family per year. my country is not perfect, the hospitals could use some money, doctors and nurses higher salaries, teachers as well but these are issues every country has. I would never want to live in the US just for the fear of becoming homeless due to university bill combined with morgage or hospital bill i wonder how you can survive there. I would like to visit as a tourist though, definitely seems a nice country to see and would like to meet the ppl. so dont be so fast assuming your coutry is the best in the world. I am not saying it is the worst, but be critical, see the + and-
Jo Choto 2 years ago
I can only imagine how lucky that woman feels to be ABLE to take her baby to work. Maternity leave in the USA is just a couple of weeks and daycare is not subsidised or supported by the government. So she has the chance to take care of her child AND earn money. Most women in her position would end up struggling, because daycare costs more than they would earn in that job, so they would struggle to work at all. It's not right, but in the USA, she's one of the lucky ones.
Rasha Nasher 2 years ago
Correction : maternity leave in the USA is ZERO days
Load More Replies... Yolanda Mulka 2 years ago
Part time jobs you will not get maternity leave you will have to have a full-time job to get it and if you do you get two weeks paid they allow you to use up any vacation and sick time to continue and then you have to use something called family medical leave to continue to care for your newborn but it's all unpaid all the family medical leave does is protect them from firing you and they will just find another reason when you come back to do exactly that
Tell Me A Yarn 2 years ago
To get FMLA you have to be in a job for a certain amount of time and your employer has to employ 50 or more people. So any franchise gas station doesn't qualify, unfortunately.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Yeah don't you have to use holidays or bank time in most places? Awful
Ronald Copenhagen 2 years ago
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The real minimum wage is also zero. Why should I be held responsible for someone else’s choice not to have an abortion. Abortion is still legal for now. Her body. Her choice. I respect her choices but that’s me…
Briana Landers 2 years ago
Yep. While also making birth control hard to obtain and putting caps on getting other forms of protection
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
Yeah men can get viagra everywhere but women cant get paid for birth control or help when having a baby. I'm in Canada and my midwife was paid for by our Healthcare. All the scans, tests, blood work, delivery etc. Midwife comes to your home everyday till you feel well. Glad I'm Canadian and have my kids here!
Carissa McFarland 2 years ago
😢 some of us wish we could escape to Canada. It really is like living in a nightmare here and it's just getting worse.
Amy Stone-Chandler 2 years ago
That is the most idiotic comment I've read today. I bet you don't even work ffs.
Summer Mason 2 years ago
Not to mention there are a ton of areas where there are no daycares in the usa. I would gladly take a higher pay and pay more into taxes if our government would stop f*****g us over.
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